2015-09-26 12:13:00

Pope Francis send Blessing to Irish Eucharistic Congress


(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a special Apostolic Blessing  to the faithful of Ireland on the occasion of the National Eucharistic Congress which opens this morning at 10.00am with a prayer service led by Bishop Kevin Doran at the Marian Shrine in Knock, Co Mayo.  Thousands of pilgrims are expected to attend this two-day celebration of faith which will conclude tomorrow evening.  

The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference is hosting the National Eucharistic Congress which comprises: prayer; daily celebration of the Eucharist at 3.00pm (Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, will be the chief celebrant today, and Archbishop Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam, will be the chief celebrant tomorrow and His Excellency Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, will preach the homily) in the recently refurbished and beautiful Basilica of Our Lady of Knock; the opportunity to receive the sacraments; a youth and children’s programme; and, interesting and topical workshops and talks delivered by experts in their field. 

Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin, said, “The theme of our Congress ‘Christ Our Hope’, will continue to allow us to harvest the fruits from the 50th International Eucharistic Congress which took place in Dublin in 2012; serve as spiritual preparation for the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu in January; and it offers us as an opportunity to focus, in the light of our Eucharistic communion, on some of the important pastoral questions facing the life of the Church at the current time, especially regarding the need to support marriage and family, and to nurture vocations.  All are welcome.”

Below is the text of the Apostolic Blessing by  Pope Francis to the faithful of Ireland on the occasion of the National Eucharistic Congress 2015, received from Archbishop Charles J Brown Apostolic Nuncio in Ireland

“The Holy Father Francis is very pleased to convey cordial greetings to the organizers and all the participants in the National Eucharistic Congress of Ireland, which is focused on the theme of Christ Our Hope.

“His Holiness asks everyone gathered in these days at Our Lady’s Shrine in Knock to strive to intensify their life of prayer by making the Eucharist the true centre of Christian communities where praise and thanksgiving lead to a renewed commitment to evangelization and ecclesial communion.  May all the participants draw abundant graces from the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar and seek to build a world that is ever more just and reconciled, in accordance with the teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church.

“With these sentiments, the Supreme Pontiff entrusts to the loving protection of Our Lady to the Bishops, priests, deacons, religious and faithful people of Ireland and, as a pledge of abundant divine gifts, imparts to them with affection his Apostolic Blessing.”  

 








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